2nd Chance
by amixofredbullandvodka
Summary: Rohna, a firm believer in second chances, is given the opportunity to make a new life for herself. The strange man with the sly smirk makes things a little more difficult when he decides that she is his. Considering she's living in a house on top of a pig with seven other people, she can't hide from him and his grabby hands for ever.
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: I do not claim the be the best writer, nor do i hold the title for best at punctuation and spelling. If you see a mistake, please let me know! Nicely, of course. And yes, chapters will be short for faster updating until I get over whatever writer's block is plaguing me.)

Shutting the door behind her with her heel, Rohna let out a sigh that ruffled her long bangs and closed her eyes, shutting out the memory of her classmates laughing at her when they realized how poor she was. She hadn't expected to run into Clarissa when she was leaving the church that had bought her groceries. She'd barely sat down on the public transport bus before her phone started buzzing like crazy. It had taken a few seconds for her to fish her phone out of her back pocket, and when she swiped the screen on, there was a information box telling her that she had almost twenty notifications on a picture she'd been tagged in. With a sinking feeling in her gut, knowing from experience just how vapid Clarissa, the self-named Queen of the University, could be, Rohna stiffened her back and touched the box on the screen, watching as the picture was pulled up.

Her worst fear was confirmed when a candid snapshot of herself, struggling to carry her few bags of donated food and school textbooks. Even though she was looking down and her bangs threw a shadow over the top half of her face, it was obvious as to who it was. The comments ranged from scorn and derision to mockery and full-blown hatred, and with each line she read, her heart sunk. People who had once claimed to be her friend were now whispering behind her back, snickering with each other.

Snapping her eyes open, Rohna shook her head and headed to the small area that she'd claimed as her kitchen. Her apartment was tiny, basically a thirteen foot by thirteen foot square with a smaller one attached for the itty bathroom, and she'd managed to arrange her few pieces of furniture to make it seem as roomy as possible. Putting everything that needed to be kept cold in the refrigerator and everything else above the sink, Rohna kept a can of soup out as a reminder to cook it later for dinner.

Sinking into the one chair set at her small dining table, she sluggishly reached for the backpack she'd tossed on to it and unzipped it, pulling out an overflowing binder and notebook. Flipping the binder open to the syllabus page, Rohna groaned as the list of next day's assignments took up half the page. Resigning herself to the fate of pulling another all-nighter, she pulled her waist length hair into a sloppy braid and shrugged out of the thick tan cardigan issued by the school. Stretching her arms with a sigh, she grabbed a pen and opened her notebook to a blank page.

Several hours later, most of them after nightfall, Rohna winced as she stretched out a cramped hand and pushed her chair away from the table. Staring at the pile of completed homework, a rumble from her stomach had her looking down.

"Yeah, yeah." She muttered dully, creaking into a standing position after hours of being still.

Padding across the floor in worn socks, shoes long since toed off, she pulled open a kitchen drawer open and grabbed the can opener. Yanking open a creaky cabinet, a saucepan was brought out next, followed by a chipped bowl that had seen better days and soon enough, Rohna was leaning a hip against the counter and idly stirring the soup, eyes blankly staring at the bubbling liquid.

Transferring her soup from saucepan to bowl, Rohna crossed the room to where her bed laid nestled in the corner and set the bowl on the bedside table. Shuffling out of the required school uniform, she yanked on a pair of black shorts that were a little to short, a large red hoodie that made it seem as though she wore no shorts and kept the knee-high socks on, knowing that without heat, her room would become frigid. After making sure her phone was plugged in, Rohna drew the many blankets on her bed around her, grabbed her soup and settled into the corner. Accessing a popular movie streaming app, she scrolled through different options until settling on an anime show she'd just started the night before. Having only barely made it through the second episode, she was intrigued enough to stay awake another hour, even if she was exhausted.

With the apartment only illuminated by the light of her screen, Rohna giggled at the antics of the short man, sinking deeper into her bed as she finally relaxed. As she did, she curled up into a ball, eyes fluttering shut as she fought to stay awake. Knowing her phone would shut itself off after an hour of no movement, Rohna's last thought was of how much she wished she were in the fictitious world she was seeing.

Her toes were warm, and Rohna curled in on herself with a happy sigh. A slight tickle to her nose caused it to twitch, and with a heaving gasp, she bolted upright just in time to let out a massive sneeze. Opening her eyes to blinding sunlight, Rohna slapped her hands over her face with a sharp cry. It was then that the ever-present noise of the city wasn't there, instead there was the sound of a breeze rustling though trees, the high-pitched whistle of a happy bird.

On instinct, Rohna took a deep breath, and memories of her childhood flipped through her mind, the clean, fresh air reminding her of the farm she'd grown up on. Lungs filled to the brim with unpolluted air for the first time in ten years, her hands slowly slipped down her face and with her heart thudding in her chest, she blinked and the scenery around her took her breath away.

With something between a laugh and a sob, Rohna propelled herself off the bright green, grassy hill and stared at the view. High-rising mountains on one side, the ground evened out into a rolling plain, clusters of forests and a winding river took the other side. The green continued on in every direction, as far as Rohna could see.

Hands pressed to a wildly beating heart, Rohna forced her lungs to breath as they threatened so seize up in panic. This was nothing she recognized, and with a sudden start, the fleeting memory of her last words before falling asleep crept towards.

"No way!" she cried out, wheezing as her lungs tightened.

Before she could get her breath back, a shuddering beneath her feet had Rohna stumbling and her eyes widened in fear.

An earthquake?

A few seconds passed after the first ripple before it came again. Forcing herself to concentrate on the thuds that were now heard approaching, the task proving difficult thanks to the thundering in her ears as her heart sped up.

Soon, the thudding and the ripples of aftershock matched up, and Rohna gulped as she realized something was coming over the hill off to her right. Two figures were all she could make out, and frozen in place with fear and the fact that her lungs were about to give out on her, Rohna squinted as she tried to figure out if she needed to run.

Everything in her was screaming to move, but there was a small tug at her heart, almost puling her in the direction of the fast approaching figures. The figures became clearer and clearer with each heartbeat, and when her brain could make sense of what her eyes were seeing, Rohna dropped to the floor, knees aching as they hit the dirt.

Gasping and clutching at her chest, Rohna swayed as the extremely tall female and giant green pig with a hat came closer. Eyes rolling into the back of her head, Rohna gave a last wheezing attempt at breathing before she collapsed.


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N: Don't get spoiled by the fast updates! These chapters were already written. Please let me know if there are any issues, I'm open to change!)

Body easily moving with the sway of the moving tavern that had somehow become his home, Ban leant against the tallest balcony that had been added to the building and sighed. The wind ruffled through his hair and the image of a small blonde girl running her fingers though his hair flashed through his mind and he gritted his teeth with a grunt, a pinprick of pain and the sudden metal taste on his tongue letting him know he'd cut through skin once again.

Licking at the small cut, he felt it close up on itself, and Ban turned his attention to the passing country-side. Diane was throwing another fit in the tavern kitchen, raging at the captain for yet another careless comment and it granted Ban some time alone. Not that he needed it, the quiet only let the memories and broken promises come to the front with a forceful push. But as much as he loved his friends and the distraction they provided, there'd been a painful pulling in his chest for the last few hours.

Ban, on a stray thought, decided to follow the pull, and it had led him to the tallest balcony, ironically belonging to his own room. Melodias had kept his preference in mind when he'd remodeled the tavern, and before he could stop it, a surge of affection for the tiny yet powerful Captain rushed through his body. Rolling his eyes, Ban turned his head towards the setting sun, looking but not really seeing.

At least until a flash of red caught his eye as they crested a hill. A blink, and the figure was gone. Leaping off the balcony, he used the railing of the balcony diagonal from his as a handhold, dropping lightly onto Hawk's mom's back. Scrambling across her back, he ignored the startled shout from Elizabeth as he sailed over her, long legs easily eating up the distance until he was balancing himself on the nose of the green pig.

"Ban! Is everything?" Elizabeth's concerned voice called out, but Ban didn't answer, instead scanning for the person he could have sworn he'd seen.

"Yo, dude." King's voice appeared next to him, the faerie King lounging on the ever present green and yellow spotted pillow. "Did you finally loose your marbles?" came the droll question and Ban spared a huff and an eye roll as answer.

"Thought I saw somebody." He finally muttered under his breath and King sat up, the lackadaisical look on his face gone, replaced with the look of someone who had fought for his life more than once.

"I'll check it out." King twirled a finger, and the cushion he'd been on poofed in the air and in its place was a wicked staff, the huge blade on the end glinting in the low sunlight.

"No!" burst out of Ban's mouth before he could stop it and King froze mid take off and Ban huffed and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his leather pants. "Keep an eye on everyone, I'll go." He said gruffly before leaping off the pig's snout, not leaving King any time to reply.

"Whatever." King mumbled, yawing as he fell back onto the weapon-turned-cushion once more, closing his eyes as he floated back to where Diane was berating Melodias.

Ban sped over the ground, silently berating himself at his outburst and wondering where the sudden possessive heat had come from. It had burned in his chest, and Ban had been drunk, he'd have thought it came from his heart. Sniggering, Ban laughed the notion away.

It had been stated several times that he didn't have a heart, and normally everything in him would have agreed.

Red caught his eye again, and he skidded to a stop, not even breathing hard after clearing so much space in a flash. Crouching slightly, Ban scanned the area around him and when he saw a body collapsed in the grass, he let out a sharp sound from between his teeth.

As he stepped closer, the figure stirred and a low moan that resonated deep in him had Ban reaching out a tentative hand towards the woman. Long black hair obscured her face, but a pair of luscious pink lips peeked though, as well as the few freckles that dotted the bridge of her nose. Lightly grabbing her shoulder, fingers sinking into the strange red material, Ban gently rolled the woman onto her back, eyes growing wide as her hair slipped towards her shoulder, revealing a face that had Ban staring. When her thick black eyelashes fluttered and a frown caused her brows to furrow, Ban yanked his hand back.

When the woman stilled, he reached for her wrist and feeling for her pulse. A corner of his mouth dipped as he felt the rapid beat under her skin. Turning his gaze back to the woman's face, the frown deepened as he saw a cold sweet start to break out.

Without a second thought, he slipped his arms around the woman, careful to hold her in such a way that it didn't constrict her breathing. After a glance down at the woman's face, trying his hardest to ignore the way she felt against him, and the lightness it brought to his heart in turn, he gathered all the power he could and leapt through the air, hovering until his feet gently touched down, startling everyone who'd gathered on Hawk's mom's back.

"Who is that?" Elizabeth gasped, pushing a protective Melodias aside to rush towards him, hand outstretched.

"Dunno." Ban eyed the outstretched hand, pushing down an urge to slap it away. Looking up, he caught the raised eyebrow his Captain gave him and he lifted a lip in a snarl, causing his friend to raise the other one. "Found her just up ahead, collapsed." He said to break the tension, nodding to let Elizabeth know she was ok to touch the woman he held. A furrowed brow that echoed the one of his forehead marred Elizabeth's face, and when she looked up again, there was a slight tinge of panic to her voice as she called out.

"Get her inside now, Ban!" she cried, pointing a finger towards the tavern. "My room! Diane, King, get me as much cold water as you can. Gowther, go with them. Sir Melodias, please help Ban to my room."

Blinking a little at the sudden command, Ban nonetheless followed the short Captain up the stairs, through the tavern and up the flight of stairs that housed the princess. Yanking the covers off the bed, Melodias stepped out of the way as Ban leaned forward to place her down, even though his chest ached at the thought of letting her go.

Shocked at the feeling, Ban quickly set her down and turned to leave the room, just as Elizabeth and the others rush in. Before his foot could leave the floor, a hand grabbing onto his wrist had a wave of heat course through his body, and a wide-eyed Ban looked down to see that the woman had reached out, latching a hand onto his. Looking up at the woman's face, his jaw dropped slightly when he saw that she had her eyes slightly open, and the deep dark blue of them entranced him.

Even as her eyes fell shut and she started gasping for air, her hand remained like a vice around his, no matter how hard Elizabeth tried to loose it. Waving the silver-haired woman away, Ban stepped closer to the edge of the bed. Unthinkingly, he placed his palm over her hand and the woman lurched, letting out a gasp, back bending so her chest was thrust up in the air for a second.

Tasting metal in his mouth once more, Ban unclenched his jaw from where he'd muffled his own gasp, and watched in shock as her body started to relax the moment he felt his own pain started to fade. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle, seeing as he'd been stabbed and pierced more times than he could count. It hadn't been the pain that had caused him some alarm, it had been the place the pain started, and he unconsciously lifted a hand to press it's heel against his chest, a dull thud causing him to almost inhale sharply.

The scene around him, almost as if time had stopped, resumed as the woman's body settled onto the bed, sinking into the soft mattress with a huge sigh. A panicking King peered around Diane, who was holding the woman's shoulders down, and stared at the suddenly still woman.

"Is she dead?" he asked loudly, not seeing the hand coming towards his head until he was cowering at Diane's side, holding onto the throbbing bump that had appeared.

"Don't be so rude!" the giantess in human formed scolded as Melodias snickered, enjoying the thought of not being the one lectured for a change.

"She's still alive." Elizabeth said softly, instantly drawing everyone's attention. Ban, who had yet to look away from the woman's hand around his wrist, jerked his head up at the pronouncement. "Her pulse is steadying and her breathing is back to normal." The gentle woman added, a touch of confusion coloring her tone even as King breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Let's let her rest." Melodias spoke up, instantly getting everyones attention. Even Gowther, who had been standing by the window staring at them blankly, shook their head and focused on him. "In the mean time, let's get ready to set up shop, we're nearing the next city!"

Rolling his eyes as everyone cheered, Ban turned to leave before he got assigned to kitchen duty again, but was again stopped by the hand he'd forgotten was still latched to his wrist. Neck turning to look down, he tried to pull it off, not wanting the heat off her fingertips seeping into his veins anymore.

"- and of course Ban gets to cook -." Melodias' voice traveled to a stop, as did the procession of people leaving the princess's room.

Feeling everyone's gaze on him, Ban raised an eyebrow, discreetly stepping sideways to hide the fact that her hand was still attached to his.

"Finders Keepers. Gotta make sure she's not gonna die on me." He shrugged, pulling out an old rule the Seven Deadly Sins had set up before they became an official group. He knew Melodias would catch it and wasn't disappointed when his Captain sent him a sharp look before laughing and shrugging, leading everyone out of the room.

Once the door shut, Ban let out a sigh and lifted his free hand to run through his hair and down his face.

"Guess I'm not going anywhere." He muttered aloud, glancing at the woman from the sides of his eyes. Unable to help it, ever the appreciator of the female figure, his eyes continued down her slender neck to where the large red top she wore had slipped to the side, exposing a good amount of collarbone to show. From there, his eyes slid down to her chest and he hummed in appreciation before moving down to where the red material ended and her long legs began. Tanned skin stretched down into a pair of tall socks, and Ban felt his eyebrows pull together when he noticed the holes that dotted the bottoms, one of her big toes completely exposed.

Unexplainably amused at the oddity, Ban felt a grin tug at the corner of his mouth and he lifted his face towards the moonlight that was starting to stream in through the line of windows. As he stared out of the window, he could see the lights of the approaching town, and when Meliodas gave a shout, the whole place shuddered. Ban knew that they'd found a spot to set up shop.

Sure enough, the Captain started issuing orders and before long there was laughter and loud chatter making its way through the bedroom door.

All the while Ban stood by the woman's bed, her hand attached to his.

A soft sigh drew Ban's attention from the window, and he looked down just in time to see the woman's eye flutter open, once more revealing eyes the color of cobalt.


	3. Chapter 3

(A\N: yep, another one. i promise the chapters should be getting longer the deeper we get into this story. Read and Review!)

Rohna knew the instant she managed to open her eyes that she probably wasn't ever going to see her family again. There was no way that the man standing next to her, head tilted slightly as he watched her, was human. Never had she seen red eyes on anybody, and his were a brilliant crimson that seemed to sparkle as he stared. Rohna met his gaze head on, even as the oddity of her situation started to sink in. She felt strangely calm while her brain raced, her heart seeming to be in beat with something only it could sense.

Shoving the thought as far back into her head as she could, Rohna looked around the room, taking in the bare-beams and stucco walls. The room was lit solely by the moonlight, and when her eyes landed on the male form standing next to her, an urge to gasp built up and she tore her eyes away. Each dip and curve of muscle was highlighted, the long, lean torso exposed by the slightly too short red leather jacket and Rohna fought the urge to drool. She'd always had a weakness for men who looked as if though they could easily toss her over their shoulders.

A loud crashing sound had her jumping in fright, jerking her head up to glare at the man when he chuckled under his breath.

"Someone probably dropped a plate." The man offered the information, and Rohna nodded in thanks.

He probably had a big family and everyone was getting ready for dinner. It made sense, and Rohna filed the information away. Moving to sit up, she hesitated when the man reached behind her, only relaxing when she realized he was simply moving the pillow for her.

"Can I have my hand back?" the man asked suddenly and Rohna's eyes shot to him from where she'd been staring at the man's reflection in the window.

Eyes flying to where he pointed, Rohna realized that her left hand had a firm grip on his wrist, and with a small 'eep' in the back of her throat, she yanked her hand away. Holding her left hand in her right, she cradled it as the left-over heat from the man's hand lingered. From the corner of her eye, she saw the man clench his hand into a fist, then stretch the fingers out, and Rohna bowed her head down so he couldn't see the flush on her face. Ignoring the soft breath of laughter from the man, Rohna squeezed her eyes shut, trying to forget how warm his skin had been, and how it seemed to seep into her very bones, traveling through her body until she practically felt enveloped by him.

A loud gurgle split the silence, and Rohna flushed again as she squeezed her arms around her middle.

"You good to walk?" the man asked suddenly and Rohna looked up through her bangs to see a hand being offered to her. Glancing up at the man, ignoring the way the corner of his mouth was brought up in a smirk, she searched his face for any clue as to what he was thinking. When he simply stood there with his hand being offered, ironic since he just got the other free, Rohna slowly slid her hand into his, mind distantly registering surprise when his hand dwarfed his.

Sliding her legs off the bed, she tentatively stood up, and let out a sigh of relief when her legs didn't give out from under her. Using the man's hand to steady herself as she took a few shaky first steps, she didn't let go as he led her out of the bedroom and into the hallway, down the stairs until they came to a stop in a doorway. Rohna, watching her feet as she walked, didn't realize that her guide has stopped, and ended up crashing into his back, almost falling backwards if it hadn't been for the hand connected to yours.

"Clumsy." The man snickered, glancing at her over his shoulder, letting go of her hand and shoving his into his pockets. Rohna settled for scrunching her nose at him in reply before she caught sight of what was in front of the tall man.

It looked like a old-fashioned tavern, with men sitting around wooden tables on wooden stools, drinking pitcher after pitcher. A silver haired woman was running around in an insanely short skirt, tray in hand as she took orders and delivered drinks. Another person, their hair a short pink that Rohna instantly envied, was weaving in and out of the throngs with a bored expression. Putting a hand on the man's broad shoulder to keep her balance as she went on tiptoe, Rohna scanned the bar area to see what kind of person they had as a server. She took a step back when she saw a short blonde man, whose appearance rang a distant bell.

Before she could follow the echo down a rabbit trail, the man who had saved her turned his shoulders around and bending down to put his face in front of hers, a sly smirk curving his lips. Drawn to the dimple that peeked out on his cheek and the long scar that decorated the side of his neck, Rohna's eyes widened when she caught sight of his canine tooth. It was longer and sharper than a normal canine, and it gave the man a dangerous edge she hadn't noticed before.

"Let's get you some grub." He offered, nodding in the direction of a hallway that lead behind the bar, where she assumed the kitchen would be. She stayed quiet, and nodded even as her stomach gave another complaint.

Apparently the can of soup she ate before going to bed hadn't been enough. Used to eating small meals, she had skipped breakfast that morning though, and her body had worked through her dinner overnight. She had turned her alarm clock off in her sleep and had woken up late, ten minutes before her first class of the day was supposed to start. She'd barely had time to get her books together before she had to run to catch the next train.

Now, the promise of a meal had her stomach rumbling and when Rohna caught the tall man in red snickering at the noises that were coming from her midsection, she looked away and turned her nose up.

"Follow me, sweet cheeks." The man chuckled and turned away, leaving Rohna standing still, an eyebrow raised at the nickname. "Come on." He called, not looking back even as he beckoned her with his hand.

Shaking her head at the odd man who seemed so familiar, she started to walk, catching up as she stretched her legs to almost match his pace. Rohna knew she should be panicking about waking up in a reality that only existed on screen and paper, and that she should be trying to find a way home. Instead of doing anything that resembled an attempt to get home, she was following a strange man who had lifted her up as though she weighed nothing more than a feather. Said stranger was promising food and had yet to do anything threatening towards her.

Sure, there was an air around him that set her on edge, but something told her that he wouldn't do anything to her. Rohna figured it was that odd sense of familiarity that let her feel at ease with the white-haired man. The fact that she was having a hard time keeping her eyes off him was definitely something that contributed to her desire to be around him.


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N: on a roll! Hopefully it stays. I'm about to have the whole place to myself for two days, since the hubby is going out of town, so I should be writing a lot more to fill the time. we'll see!)

Highly aware of the woman at his side, Ban slowed his gait just a little, enough so she wasn't having to run. She was nothing like the women in his life. Where Diane or Elizabeth would panicked at waking up in a strange room with a man standing next to him, this woman looked around the room with those unique eyes, and he had felt them the instant she'd turned her attention to him. Instead of crying or asking a barrage of questions, she'd been silent, except for the noise of surprise when she realized she was still holding on to his wrist. That sound had tugged on something primal inside, and he'd had to look away to keep from doing whatever it took to hear that sound again.

Walking through the open doorway, he took a second to point the pale woman in the direction of the small table and chairs that were used by his friends while they watched him cook. Making sure she was seated, he quickly placed a glass of water in front of her, knowing he'd guessed right when she instantly drained it, the tip of a pink tongue darting out to catch a drop of water before it fell, and again that desire flared up. Spinning on his heel, he slouched his shoulders as he picked up one of the potatoes that Elizabeth had washed. The meal he had in mind for dinner for the tavern required a few of them, as well as a few carrots that needed to be peeled.

The sound of fabric rustling drew his attention and he looked up to see the black haired woman walking towards him, arms behind her head as she tied her long hair in a simple braid. He watched, amused, as she opened the same drawer he'd used, pulling out a knife before she too reached for a potato. Before he could say anything, she started to expertly peel the vegetable. Shrugging, he let her continue, wondering at the silence between them. Normally either Diane or Elizabeth would be the ones to instantly fill it, but this woman seemed to be content with the quiet. The silence stretched on and soon all the vegetables were peeled.

The woman, seeing that there was nothing left to do, dipped her hands into the bucket of water meant for that exact purpose and wiped them off with her top. Ban, hearing the grumbling of her stomach across the width of the kitchen, snickered again. Ignoring the quick glare, liking the fire the woman showed, he reached into the basket of fruit left on the counter for Hawk and Elizabeth and pulled out a red apple.

"Catch." He called out and when the woman looked up, he tossed her the apple.

Barely catching the apple that had been thrown at her face, Rohna blinked at the fruit in her hand before turning to face the man.

"Thank you." She muttered, ignoring the way his eyes widened for a split second, then sank her teeth into her snack. The instant the juice hit her tongue, she almost moaned. It was the perfect apple, crisp and tart while still being sweet at the same time. She never found apples like this at home.

Forgoing the table and chair that had been pointed out to her, Rohna instead decided to hop up onto the counters on the opposite side of where the man was working. As she ate, her eyes were drawn to the way he moved about the kitchen, almost as if it were a dance. No move was without purpose. Rohna figured it was safe to ogle him, seeing as how his back was constantly turned to her, so she let her eyes feast on the muscles that showed through the tight leather jacket he wore.

"If you're gonna stare that much, at least tell me your name." the man teased, looking back over his shoulder at her, and Rohna felt a flush creep up her neck.

"Rohna." She replied after a second of hesitation.

"Ban." The tall man said as he started cutting whatever piece of meat he'd pulled from the stove.

Mouthing the name to herself before finishing the apple, Rohna looked around for a trash can or compost bucket, something so she could clean up the apple juices that were dripping down her arm.

"Where do I -?" she trailed off when those eyes of his connected with hers, and she watched as his gaze flickered down to her lips before shooting back up. The unexpected shiver that ran down her spine had Rohna biting her lip as she ducked her head, hiding behind her bangs.

"Master! I've got scraps!" Ban suddenly yelled and Rohna let out a muffled swear as she jumped at the loud noise. A high pitched squeal followed the announcement, and Rohna raised an eyebrow as the sound of hoofs hitting the wood floor came closer.

Taking a step back, unconsciously putting Ban in front of her and whatever was about to come through the doorway, Rohna's eyes grew wide when a small pink ball came running into the kitchen.

It was a pig. A very, very small pig.

"Ban, you said you had scraps!" the tiny animals ordered and Rohna knew that if she hadn't been leaning against the counter, she would have fallen.

The very small animal spoke. It spoke!

"Careful, Master, you're gonna scare the new girl." Ban drawled, placing the bowl of potato skins and carrot peelings in front of the small pig.

"New girl?" the pig asked, barely able to speak with its mouth full of food.

"Yeah, her." Ban replied, and Rohna offered a weak wave when the little pig looked over at her.

"Hello, milady!" the pig squeaked. "Pardon me for not showing you proper respect, everyone acts like barnyard animals around here, but as the Master of the Order of Scrap Disposal, I must fulfill my duty!" it rambled, occasionally burying its snout in the bowl.

"Uh." Rohna floundered, looking everywhere but at Ban who was once again snickering at her. "I've got an apple core for you?" she offered, not knowing what else to do. Instantly, the pig was standing in front of her, hearts for eyes.

"Apple cores are my favorite!" the pig cried, tears of joy leaking from its eyes.

Holding out the apple core on her palm, Rohna lowered her hand to where the minute animal could grab the apple core and she watched as it devoured the treat in one swallow.

"Thanks!" the pig grinned up at Rohna, and she couldn't help but grin back.

"No problem." She assured it and the little pig beamed before taking off back towards the tavern area.

As soon as the small animal was gone, Rohna stared at the space the animal occupied, noticing that it had somehow managed to clear the entire bowl of peelings.

"The pig can talk." She wondered out loud, and a huff of laughter from Ban had her turning around, only to stare at his back as he kept cooking.

"Yep." Was all he said, and Rohna sank to the floor, back up against the counter.

"Fucking crazy." She muttered, rubbing her temples with her fingers, the dull throb a warning sign for an incoming headache.

"Welcome to Boar's Hat Tavern, lady." Ban laughed and Rohna groaned, dropping her head onto her arms.

Sexy men in red leather and a talking pig?

Her life had just gotten crazier.

Four hours later and Rohna was holding her sides as she laughed at the antics of the short man she'd seen serving ale earlier, apparently he was the owner of the Boar's Hat and the leader of the group. He was patting the silver haired girls butt, a happy smile on his face while the poor woman was blushing and half-heartedly protesting. Elizabeth, as Rohna had been told, was a princess of the main kingdom in the area, and was a sweet woman who had instantly rushed over to her when she'd walked into the kitchen and found Rohna sitting on the floor and groaning.

The leader, Meliodas, had simply asked her if she meant them any harm and when Rohna had vehemently answered in the negative, simply grinned and welcomed her to his home. The others had more questions, and after the tavern had shut down for the night, they had all gathered around a fire in front of the house. Sitting next to Ban, Rohna held an pint of ale in her hands and sipped at it while the others talked around her, taking in the obvious comradery they shared.

"So, Rohna."

Looking up from where she'd been staring at the fire, she meet the curious gaze of the purple eyed girl with brown pigtails.

"Where are you from?" she asked and Rohna cleared her throat. She'd been asking herself what she would do what the questions finally came, and now that they were here, she didn't know what to do. Figuring that being honest was the best choice, she took a look pull for her ale.

"New York." She answered and the blank stares around her told her that maybe she should have just told them she didn't know.

"Where's that?" Meliodas asked and Rohna wanted to tear her hair out.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She muttered, forgetting that Ban was right next to her and could hear her just fine.

"Whaddya mean by that?" the small man who floated on a cushion asked, cheeks red from drinking. He stayed close to the woman who had once been a giant, the girl with the purple eyes and Rohna had a sneaking suspicion that there was a mutual attraction there.

"You're going to think I'm lying." Rohna warned, and was confused when the pink haired person leaned forward, a slender finger pushing up their glasses.

"I can help with that." Was all they said before pointing a finger and letting out something that looked like a small white lightning bolt.

A small scream almost made it's way out of Rohna's mouth before it sank into her neck, and instead of the burning electrical feeling she put together with being electrocuted, it was a pinprick of pain that was soothed by the warm thrum of energy.

"Rohna Everley, you were born in a place called Cal-ee-fornia." The person started to speak, voice light and toneless as though they were reading from a phonebook. They immediately drew everyone's attention and Rhona was free to look at all the faces around her as Gowther spoke. "You are not from this world. You were sent here to give someone a second chance."

"I was?" Rohna yanked her gaze away from where she'd been studying Ban's profile, turning her eyes to Gowther who was humming and thinking, a finger on their lips.

"That only gave us more questions, Gowther!" Meliodas cried, somehow managing to land a hand on Elizabeth's breasts, and Rohna raised an eyebrow when the silver haired beauty didn't protest.

"I am sorry, Captain." Gowther apologized. "Everything else is all tangled, I can't see anything more."

"You can read my thoughts?" Rohna whirled back around so fast her neck popped.

"Yes, I am Gowther of the goat sin." Gowther replied as though it made perfect sense, yet Rohna was more confused than she was before she asked. Blinking, she looked around the group to see if they were playing a joke, but everyone looked dead serious.

"Wait, you don't know who we are?" Diane asked, noticing the blank look, and when Rohna shook her head, black hair flying in the breeze, the woman gasped and pressed her hands to her cheeks.

"Well, I guess introductions are in order!" Meliodas stood up on the table, cheeks beginning to show the flush of intoxication. "I am Meliodas of the Seven Deadly Sins, the dragon sin!" he said proudly, placing his hands on his hips and pushing his chest out.

"I'm Diane, the serpent sin." The woman continued the round of introductions, Rohna watching with wide eyes.

"King, bear sin of sloth." The sleepy man waved from his trusty cushion.

"You already know about Gowther." Meliodas said from his perch on Elizabeth's lap. "Then there's Merlin, the boar sin, and Escanor, the lion sin. Merlin's with King Arthur at the moment, and we haven't found Escanor yet."

"Don't forget about me, Captain." Ban's voice was low and when Rohna whirled around to look at him, he was so close, she could count every eyelash and practically taste the drop of ale that was hanging precariously from the corner of his mouth.

"Ban, the fox sin." He told her, a satisfied smirk on his face as he caught her intently watching as he darted his tongue out to lap up the last of the ale.

Flushing, Rohna snapped around to face the fire again, but Ban wasn't done.

"I claim you as mine, Rohna Everley." He stated, and before Rohna could move, brushed her hair over her shoulder and placed a kiss on her temple before falling into her lap, cuddling into the red hoodie with a self satisfied smirk.


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N: for some reason, this chapter was tough to get out. sorry if it's rough and choppy. I'll smooth it out later on down the road. Let me know what you think!)

Maneuvering the massively drunk Ban to his room, Rohna paused for a second, letting the tall man slide down the wall until he was sitting in a giggling heap. Staring down at him, his words ringing in her ears, she couldn't help but feel a little bit angry. She didn't want to be claimed! She had already done the long relationship thing, and it had ended up biting her in the ass. Her ex was partly the reason she'd been in the state she was, living off of charity and church donations.

"Am I in bed?" Ban suddenly asked, words slurring together as he squinted at the area around him.

"Nope." Rohna sighed, squatting down to look at Ban in the face. "You're in the hallway. I need you to stand up." She told him, knowing for a fact that he was almost dead-weight and she didn't have the strength to lift him.

Earlier, after his announcement, King had been furious and flown off, Diane running after him, and Elizabeth was helping a happy drunk Meliodas to his room. Gowther was already asleep, curled up in a ball next to the fire, so she didn't have anyone to ask for help.

"Think I liked you better when you were quiet." Ban mumbled, tilting his head, a frown bringing his eyebrows together.

"I liked you better when you weren't shitfaced, but hey. Life suck and you move on." Rohna said flatly, shrugging a shoulder. "You gonna stand or do I have to drag you to bed?" she asked bluntly, knowing from experience that coddling would get her nowhere.

"So bossy." Ban sassed as best he could, pulling himself up off the floor with a grunt, swaying as he clutched his head in one hand, the other bracing himself against the wall. Rohna didn't bother replying, instead settling for an eye-roll. Taking Ban's free arm, she looped it around her neck and Ban let out a groan as she helped support his weight.

Taking staggering steps, it took them a little bit longer to get to Ban's room, and when they did, he gave a little lurch. Before Rohna could grab onto anything to keep from falling, they were both tumbling into the dark room, and it was a jumble of limbs when they landed.

"Ow." Rohna whined, freeing a hand to rub the back of her elbow, where the 'funny bone' had hit the floor. Opening her eyes, she was startled when she found Ban's face hovering over hers, barely any space between them. It was then that she realized that in their fall, Ban had somehow maneuvered them to where he'd wrapped his long arms around her, one of his hands holding her head, the other wrapped around her waist as much as he could.

In the moonlight, his eyes didn't appear red. No, they were a shadowy black and it did nothing to hide the emotions that were flying across them. Pain, loss and anger were the most prevalent, and Rohna could feel her heart start to hurt. She knew what those emotions felt like, almost a little too well. Staring at his face, Rohna couldn't help it and raised a hand to brush away a lock of blue-white hair away from his face.

Flinching as she rose her hand, Ban froze when her fingers made the lightest of touches on his temple and his eyes went wide. Rohna watched as his eyes fluttered shut, and he let his body drop down on top of hers with a sigh. Grunting a little at the weight, she stayed still as he buried his face in her neck and Rohna could have sworn that she felt the tickle of a fang on the delicate skin, but before she could react, Ban was pushing himself off of her, crawling towards the bed and somehow climbing up it until he was collapsed on the mattress.

Sucking in a breath, Rohna stayed on the floor, mind racing as she tried to figure out exactly what had just happened, and when no answer presented itself, she sighed and picked herself up off the floor. Standing in the middle of the room, she couldn't help the chuckle that escaped when she saw Ban spread-eagle on his bed, already snoring. Taking a quiet step forward, thanks to the socks she still wore, she made deft work of unlacing his boots and pulled them off before yanking his blanket over him.

After a second more of watching him for reasons she didn't quite understand, Rohna tiptoed out of the room and softly shut the door behind her. Now that Ban was tucked in, she headed back outside to check on the fire and make sure it was still going, so Gowther could stay warm. The night air had a brisk chill to it, and she was extremely thankful for the hoodie she'd thrown on. Pausing as a thought hit her, she headed back to grab a blanket from the supply Elizabeth had shown her before they all went outside. As she approached the little fire pit, blanket in hand, she saw that Gowther, in their sleep, had knocked their glasses off and was sprawled out. Chuckling at the sight, Rohna tossed the blanket over them and squatted in front of the fire, grabbing an extra log and placing it on the pile so it would maintain a steady slow burn.

After a second or two of staring blankly into the flames, Rohna sighed and stood, knees protesting slightly from being bent for so long. Fingers itching for something to do, she slowly made her way back into the tavern. She knew from experience that she wouldn't get any sleep tonight, not with the way her mind was racing. Back home, she would usually dive into homework or deep clean the little area that she lived in and it would help to wear her out so she got a few hours of sleep. Here though, there was no homework, but there was a tavern that hadn't been deep cleaned, and as she reached for the broom to start sweeping, she felt a little bit more at ease.

Humming a random tune under her breath, she easily cleared the tavern floor of any debris and dirt. Finding a clean rag in the kitchen, she set to wiping off all the table-tops and stools. As she cleaned, a certain pair of red eyes kept flashing through her mind, his words echoing in her skull even as she tried to drown it out with songs. She still couldn't figure out why hearing him say those words had sent a shiver down her spine, or why she had immediately felt as if she belonged. Never in her life had someone claimed her, even though she disliked the idea of being claimed like an object. There was something oddly satisfying in knowing that someone wanted her enough to call her his.

Even if it was Ban.

Shaking the thought out of her head, and the resulting snapshot of Ban lounging by the fire, long torso lit up by firelight, Rohna poured all her focus into cleaning the kitchen, having turned the tavern into a spotless room. She didn't want to think about the cocky smirk or the way she had to tilt her head up in order to look him in the eye. As a tall woman herself, she rarely had to look up at anyone, and finding someone who was a whole foot taller than she was, it was an amazing feeling. Leaning against the wooden counter top, Rohna let her head fall, stretching the muscles in her shoulders that were screaming from all the scrubbing, and sighed, closing her eyes.

She was so confused about everything, and her head felt as though it weighed a million pounds. Rohna wanted so very much to just give in to the hopelessness that she was feeling, knowing that she would probably never return to her home world, that she would never get the degree that she had been working so hard towards. Instead, she was stuck on a world that wasn't her own, with people she barely knew from an anime series and now one of the characters was claiming her. Feeling the burn of tears start to build in her eyes, Rohna lifted her head and stared out the kitchen window, clearing her throat as she wiped away any moisture that had managed to build up.

She wasn't going to let the situation change her. Taking a deep breath, Rohna squeezed her eyes shut and when she exhaled, she opened them again and set back to the task of cleaning, even though there was a hint of the oncoming dawn on the horizon.


	6. Chapter 6

(A\N: I'm so sorry its short! I wanted to get the creative juices flowing again, and I had to get something out for you guys. I love ya'll, and thanks for pushing for another part! Keep it up, and I promise I will too!)

Opening his eyes with a groan, Ban blinked as the rays of the early morning sun hit him in the face. Feeling the hangover receding, thanks to his fast healing, he laid in bed, taking a moment to figure out how he'd gotten to his room when the last thing he remembered was listening to Gowther talk about Rohna –.

Rohna.

Even thinking her name sent a fissure of heat straight to his lower body, and suddenly his tight pants were tighter than he liked. Then, he remembered the words he'd said before curling up in her lap, and all heat was gone.

He'd claimed her as his.

Sitting up, he buried his face in his hands for a second before raking them through his hair, mind whirling as he tried to figure out how to fix the mess he'd gotten himself in. Opening his eyes, Ban caught sight of his bare feet, and realized with a start that Rohna must have been the one to help him to his room. At the realization, his brain caught up with everything that had happened, and he could see her staring up at him, her body warm and soft, pressed up against his. He could recall how she smelt, clear as day, and his mouth started to water as he recalled nipping at her neck.

Shoving his feet into his shoes, he stepped out into the hallway and made his way to the kitchens, and almost made it until he realized that everyone was gathered around the kitchen doorway, whispering and staring.

"What are you idiots doing?" he asked, not bothering to keep his voice down, something that proved to be a mistake when King's pillow flew at him, muffling his question.

"Shush, you loud oaf!" Diane hissed at him from over her shoulder. Ban simply raised an eyebrow, pushing at the pillow. "Rohna's asleep in the kitchen, she cleaned the tavern and the kitchen!" Diane explained with a roll of her eyes.

Now intrigued, Ban managed to shove the pillow away and took a step forward to look over everyone's heads. The tavern, while tidy, hadn't been known for its cleanliness, but now it shone and sparkled like it had when it was brand new. The kitchen was spotless, and Ban could swear that he could see a sparkle coming from the crystal clear windows.

And then he spotted Rohna, asleep at the little table in the kitchen, head buried into her arms, shoulders gently rising and falling with each breath.

"Seriously." Ban muttered, shoving through the crowd, a twinge of frustration in his voice. "She cleans and all you guys do is gawk."

Ignoring the whispered protests, Ban cleared the space between him and Rohna in a few steps. Pausing when he saw her stir, he caught sight of the dark circles under her eyes, and a flare of anger erupted in his chest. Stamping it down, he eased his arms under her body, knowing he would be able to easily lift her, and as soon as she was in his arms, pressed up against his chest, Ban couldn't help the small smile that flitted across his face. Almost as if sensing his emotions, Rohna, still asleep, buried her face in his neck with a little sigh, and Ban felt his heart skip a beat.

Turning around, he made his way through the hallway once more, his friends parting to let him through, their eyes full of questions he knew he was going to have to fend off later, but at the moment, the only thing he cared about was making sure the woman in his arms was sleeping comfortably.

He didn't know why it was so important to him, and the words he said drunkenly echoed in his head with each step he took. The closer he got to his room, the more the memories of her helping him up to his bed last night cleared. A corner of his lips lifted as he recalled her snarky come-back after his rude comment, and a flare of pride for the small woman went through him.

Opening his door with his elbow, Ban balanced her in one arm while he shoved his blanket down, before easing the still sleeping woman down onto his bed. A small frown appeared on her lips as he drew away, but it smoothed out as soon as he drew the covers, warm from the morning sun, over her. He couldn't help but watch as she snuggled into his pillow, taking a deep breath before letting out a noise the was a cross between a moan and a sigh.

Feeling a strange heat flash across his face, Ban whirled around, hands tugging at his pants as they tightened around his hips. This was the second time his body had reacted to the strange woman, and while he was no stranger to the feeling, he wasn't used to his body betraying him so easily. Normally, he was always in control, but something about Rohna had his body reacting without consent from his brain.

Shaking his head, Ban took one last look at the sleeping woman, noticing the way her lips were open slightly as she slept deeply, and Ban caught himself staring as she turned over onto her side, curling up in a ball, his pillow hugged tightly to her chest, and the sudden thought that he wished he were that pillow popped unbidden into his head.

Frowning, Ban marched out of his room and swung himself out of the open window in the hallway, landing on the grass with a thud and a bounce, before he took off into the woods, his nerves suddenly stretched thin. Dealing with the idiots he called friends would fray his patience in a second, and while he normally wouldn't mind going off on them, the mere thought of waking Rohna after she'd spent a sleepless night cleaning and taking care of everyone was something he couldn't stand.

He'd caught the whispers from Elizabeth that Rohna had been the one to make sure everyone had either made it to their beds or had a blanket, and he couldn't understand why the woman would take care of people she didn't know. And just like that, the memory of her helping him was first and foremost in his mind, and all he could see where her eyes staring up at him, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

With a growl, Ban sped up his pace until he was running at a breakneck speed, the forest a blur around him. When he caught sight of a small lake, he skidded to a stop, and uncaring of the leather of his outfit, dove into the cool water, his blood boiling from something he couldn't name.


End file.
